Former Arkansas governor, pastor and author Mick Huckabee has been confirmed as the U.S. ambassador to Israel under the Trump administration.
The U.S. Senate voted 53-46 on Wednesday to confirm Huckabee, a staunch supporter of Israel. The final tally was largely along party lines, with Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., being the only Democrat to vote in favor of Huckabee.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a statement on X commending Huckabee for the confirmation, calling him a “dear friend.”
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“Congratulations to my dear friend [Huckabee] upon being confirmed as the next ambassador of the United States to Israel. This is a great day for the Israeli – American alliance,” tweeted Netanyahu.
“I look forward to working with you to make the unbreakable bond between our two nations even stronger.”
Read:Huckabee calls Mormons, Christians, Jews ‘people of the Book’ at Senate hearing
President Donald Trump nominated Huckabee to the post shortly after winning the election, and said the former pastor was a “highly respected” figure who supports peace in the region.
“Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years. He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East,” Trump said in a statement shared on Truth Social on Nov. 12, 2024.
The Rev. Franklin Graham, a prominent Evangelical Christian leader, congratulated Huckabee on the nomination, saying in a statement last year that the “Huckabees love Israel and will be a great blessing to the people of that country and represent America well.”
Huckabee faced a Senate confirmation hearing last month, in which he garnered critical feedback for some of his past comments denying the legitimacy of Palestinian nationalism and supporting Israel annexing the Palestinian territories.
Regarding the West Bank, Huckabee recently said that “the title deed was given by God to Abraham and to his heirs,” according to The Associated Press.
“There are certain words I refuse to use,” Huckabee said in a speech in 2017. “There is no such thing as a West Bank — it’s Judea and Samaria. There’s no such thing as a settlement. They’re communities. They’re neighborhoods. They’re cities. There’s no such thing as an occupation.”
“If confirmed, it will be my duty to carry out the president’s policies, not mine,” said Huckabee in response to questions about his personal views on how to solve the Middle East conflict.
Huckabee acknowledged during the hearing that he “previously supported” annexation, but made a distinction between stealing land and purchasing it, calling the latter “a legitimate transaction.”
